The Mystery of Meerkat Hill

September 15, 2013
Young Precious Ramotswe hones her detective skills with some new friends. Pontsho and Teb are new in school, and Precious hopes to be their friend. By asking just a few careful questions, Precious finds out a lot. She learns that the children are poor and that their father had been killed by lightning. Precious is sensitive and empathetic, and soon the three--and the siblings' pet meerkat, Kosi--are fast friends. Kosi is endlessly fascinating and very talented, Precious learns. It takes her keen observational skills and the natural talents of the meerkat to save Pontsho and Teb's family from disaster. Fast-paced action is interspersed with family stories, making this an especially winning story for very young readers. Occasional direct address to readers harkens back to an earlier storytelling style. Stunning black-and-white illustrations, reminiscent of woodcuts and etchings, grace most spreads, adding an old-fashioned feel to the story. The map of Africa (with Botswana highlighted) on the first page provides welcome information. Precious is sensitive and grounded, open and understanding--perfect qualities for the detective she is destined to be. The mystery is easily solved, but it still requires that readers pay attention to the clues left along the way. Subtly dealing with social issues of poverty, Precious' second outing as a youngster charms. (Mystery. 8-12)

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December 1, 2013

K-Gr 4-Kind, clever, and compassionate Precious Ramotswe is always eager to hone her budding detective skills. When newcomers Pontsho and Teb can't find their much-needed cow, she uses her quick wit and clue-finding skills to come to their aid. This installment in the series is sure to please fans and grab new readers. The story is fun and light, with the perfect amount of suspense to keep young readers wanting more. Set on the hills and plains of Botswana, McCall Smith's story's descriptive language takes readers there and will leave them wanting to learn more about this beautiful land. The block-print style illustrations, done in black, gray, and white with lots of touches of red, create interest and intrigue, yet artfully allow readers the luxury of using their imaginations to develop the plot and characters fully. This book will enhance all library collections, especially those eager to include fiction that gives a slice of life in another country. Perfect as a read-aloud or for beginning chapter readers.-Amy Shepherd, St. Anne's Episcopal School, Middleton, DE

Copyright 2013 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

Starred review from October 1, 2013
Grades 3-6 *Starred Review* If a young readeror an older one, for that matterwere to flip through this chapter book, that reader would likely be drawn in by McIntosh's witty line drawings, the same kind of illustrations that inform and amuse in previous McCall Smith books. For example, a map of Africa with a Monty Pythonesque finger pointing south at Botswana; a meerkat perched atop of a lady's head; and two pages bordered by cow, rabbit, elephant, and snake tracks. But, of course, there is so much more in store. This third book starring the future proprietor of the No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency, Precious Ramotswe, begins with the arrival of two new schoolkids, a brother and sister so poor that they must walk barefoot through the brush. They do, however, possess a treasure: an inquisitive, funny pet meerkat. McCall Smith weaves into the mystery charming and exciting side adventures, like how Precious' father uses a hat and stick to keep an angry ostrich from attacking, or how the meerkat cleverly defeats a cobra. The central mystery is the disappearance of the poor family's cow, and Precious uses her soon-to-be-patented skills to find it. A marvelous chapter book ideal for young readers, and, really, all fans of McCall Smith. HIGH-DEMAND BACKSTORY: McCall Smith is a publishing powerhouse, and his efforts on the youth side are starting to gain the kind of momentum he has with adults.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2013, American Library Association.)